Hi! Welcome to the official blog for Rose Marie Fashion. From everyday life to fashion or politics check in weekly to see what's new! We live in such a fast pace world, so take a breather and enjoy!

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Success

Hey chicas! It’s Leah again and I’ve decided to share my thoughts on the topic: SUCCESS. Don’t you want to be successful or victorious in your life? I mean in alllll aspects of it, from your walk with God to your career/business. The word “success” has been discussed occasionally with my honey since we recently started our own business. Starting a business you have a million “what-ifs” and you enter this unknown territory just hoping and praying everything works out for the better 😂. I want to focus more on having a Godly success rather than a worldly success. There is a major difference! I believe if we live with victory in our lives success follows!

The term “success” has been misrepresented by many people because they do not know the difference between worldly success and Godly success. Understanding the difference between the two is important because it will determine if you will become CONTENTED or if you will only be PLEASURED. Your understanding of success will decide if you are chasing empty dreams or divine purpose. I am currently learning all about this in my life. In the Kingdom of God success is defined as having VICTORY, and if you don’t have the victory then your bound right? 😂 Another blog for another time. Let me stay on course 😜.

Of course before we succeed we probably will fail. Failure usually comes before success. We’ve failed a few times in our business and we learned from our mistakes and it did it differently the next time. We are all going to have failures, but it takes getting up each time and moving FORWARD. We all are going to have something we battle with and we literally have to pray our way out of it and fast our way out of it and HELP ourselves out of it. When we get victory over our lives you’ll start seeing SUCCESS in other areas of your life. The sweetest victory is the one that’s most difficult. The one that requires you to reach down deep inside, to fight with everything you’ve got, to be willing to leave everything out there on the battlefield—without knowing, until that do-or-die moment, if your heroic effort will be enough. You have to get through it.

I’ve been through some personal battles and when I finally conquered it, it’s like the doors just opened. Blessings started flowing in my life, I started seeing things different than I would have before. I started doing things I thought I was incapable of doing because I doubted myself before. I’m learning the difference everyday between contentment and pleasure. We can get so caught up in the everyday life of needing this and that and having this and that and wanting this and that, and in the end it’s only satisfying us for just a little bit and then we are back to the start again: needing this and wanting that. Failing not conquering. Flat out not being VICTORIOUS.

Always have a open perspective about things. Always see the bigger picture. We are capable of doing some BIG THINGS in life. You just have to believe in YOURSELF. You CAN do the Bible study. You CAN be a witness. You CAN be a servant of the most high and LOVE everything about it. You can BE the mom that does it ALL. WE can own businesses, be moms, go to school, be a good wife, be involved with our churches. Don’t let failure get you down. Just get up get the victory and move on. To achieve your personal best, to reach unparalleled heights, to make the impossible possible, you can’t fear failure, you must think big, and you have to push yourself.

Toodles!

Leah L. Hernandez

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Last week on the blog..................

A Little Word of Encouragement

Hey guys! I hope everyone has had an amazing week and I hope you are having an amazing Saturday! I have been thinking lately about how much young kids, teenagers, adults,no matter the age, need encouragement. Sometimes we find it hard to keep living for God with the peer pressure we face on a daily basis.

Whether you are in middle school, high school, college, or even if you just have a public job, I encourage you to read this to the end. It isn’t always easy to say no to friends who try to get you to do the wrong things. I am a freshman in college and I go on campus two days a week for classes. I am faced daily with people who do not live like I do. However, I am doing my best to try and be a light to those in the world. I encourage you to do the same. When I was younger, I often found myself somewhat embarrassed that I was the only one in my school dressed the way I dressed. I, like any other child, wanted to be like everyone else. I can specifically remember one time going to a sleepover and painting my fingernails just to be like everyone else. Recently, an evangelist came by and was talking about being a light. He said something along the lines of, “Being in the church is like carrying an elephant on a leash behind you. Whether it is when you go on the job, to school, or town, everyone looks when you walk by because you’re different. That elephant gets noticed because it isn’t every day you see someone leading an elephant.” I want to encourage you to carry that elephant in your school, into your job, and everywhere you go and be proud you’re a child of the King.

You have got this, and you CAN make it all the way! I pray for every young person in this generation. We need a relationship with God like we never have before. I hope this has encouraged someone today!

Hey guys! I hope everybody is having a fabulous week! I know I am. I feel like super mom these days. When my kids are following their schedule and we get things done (with a lot of help from my coffee) I feel like I can take on the world!

Lately, I've been finding myself sitting down either on my couch or just cuddling with my baby and I think about how truly blessed I am. I really don't deserve the life I am living, but for some reason God is just so good to me!! I've especially been thinking about my marriage and how I don't deserve such a loving guy like my husband in my life. Orrr wait actually I do? I mean EVERY girl deserves somebody to love and respect her right? This blog might be more for some younger ladies who are either dating or talking to somebody, or could just be looking and waiting for somebody. There is hope lol. There is always somebody for somebody! God has a plan for you, I promise you that.

Just a quick little testimony about my love life. Life wasn’t always peaches in cream in the dating world. My now husband walked into my life at the most oddest weirdest time ever. It was so unexpected, and I would of never thought I would be with a guy like my husband. I had this image of what I wanted but God had a different plan for me, and I'm so grateful that He did. At the time when my husband walked into my life I was not looking for anybody. I was not interested in anybody. I wasn't thinking about anybody. I was just living for God and working, staying healthy and just enjoying life with my family. I was trying to better myself and be a Christian girl. I was in a horrible horrible relationship prior so I had absolutely no interest in nothing or nobody. In a sense, I was bitter and hurt and honestly didn't care about nothing or nobody. I was letting God work and mend my heart. So, unexpectedly my now husband walks into my life. I always had people telling me “marry somebody that treats you like your dad” and my Ruben goes above and beyond to make sure I am happiest person walking he planet. Literally not joking. Six years later and I still get roses at least twice a month! And it surprises me EVERY TIME. He tells me I’m gorgoeus at least once a day. Not even exaggerating. He’s the most consistent person ever and I’m all about consistency. I’m sure a lot of people don’t get us because we have this dry humor, sarcastic, tough love romance 😂 but surprisingly my hubby is the most mushy gushy guy you will ever meet even tho he try’s to act like he’s not. 😉

All in all, Gods timing is perfect timing. He will bless you beyond what you imagine or comprehend and I’m still learning this each and everyday! He blessed me with a husband that never reminds me of my past, loves me unconditionally no matter what we go through, spoils me rotten, and most of all loves JESUS and gives his life for the church. God must always be the center in everything you do because trust me without him it will FALL APART and I can testify to that. Now I have two babies with the greatest person in the whole world. I want every young girl to know how special and worthy she is. God has his amazing plan for you, I promise! And I’m not just talking about being married. The potential you have and what you can be in the Kingdom of God will blow you away! Just remember it’s all in God’s timing. And his timing PERFECT.

Till next time,

Leah H.

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Last week on the blog...........

A Trip of a Lifetime

Hi guys! I've been missing in action this past month and a half 🙈 if you would have been in my crazy house these past weeks you'd totally understand why I haven't been able to sit down and write anything. Seriously time needs to SLOW down!!

I had the opportunity open up for me to go to a Fashion Event in Milan, Italy with my clothing line. Similar to a trade show, you bring in your garments and large European Buyers come through and decide to purchase your designs for there boutiques or stores. My husband and I really prayed hard about the decision to go as it's a pretty expensive trip and Show to be apart of. I felt at peace with our decision to go knowing we were taking a huge risk financially for this oppprtunity. I'm learning that anything in life that has value takes a lot of time, care and faith. It's hard to step out in faith when your biggest enemy is doubt and intimidation. But in the end I was able to overcome all the battles going on in my mind and make reservations for us to go.

What an experience it was! From meeting other talented Italian Designers to European buyers and vendors all over the world. I was especially intrigued by one exhibitor that came from China. She was very wise and one of the best sales person I've seen. She spoke over 4 languages and as each buyer would come through she would adjust the language to what they spoke. I was able to meet and get in contact with so many people I'd never have met if it wasn't for the event. Although I didn't get a direct sell there I do believe it opened doors for a bright future for my clothing line.

Just being able to get away was super fun! And when I wasn't sitting at my booth, my husband and I got to be tourist and experience the beauty of Italy. This was my first time out of the USA so my fear of flyin over the ocean, big planes and long flights all had to be conquered in one day. Haha I've never been one for take offs and landings in general but put me on a giant plane and I'm really uneasy!

Although it was an extremely long flight they made it quite accommodating. They provided full meals, drinks, snacks and free entertainment on the screens in front of you. By the end of the flight we had taken two naps, won endless games of scrabble and my husband thought he was the king of poker. Haha but being able to do it together made the long flight not as miserable.

Instantly when we landed I realized how much we take for granite speaking in a familiar language. Although English was a second language to most, Italian is number one so Timothy and myself had some barriers in communicating directions and questions. Thankfully when I had booked our flight I had reserved a rental car to take us from the airport to our hotel so when we got off our flight a young man standing with a tablet flashing our name was waiting for us. The time change had us all messed up since we left at 11 MST to only arrive the same time in Italy but only the next day. I'm not sure if we ever got on track the whole time we was there. Ha ha

We explored everything pretty much on foot and the beauty of the old rustic city was so incredible to take in. The streets were so busy with pedestrians and cars and mopeds that you really had to watch in every direction just to not get hit. And the food y'all! 😱 I've never seen or tasted anything so delicious and fresh. Everywhere we went bakery's galore and the Pizza, the pasta, the ICECREAM! It was sooo good and super cheap! I had asked some of the designers there how everyone in the city wasn't fat from all this incredible food?! I think it helped it was all made with fresh ingredients not the fast food and pesticides we take in so much here in the states. When we got back to the USA it was hard to find anything appetizing because we were so spoiled from fresh cream filled croissants, pizzas and sandwiches to fresh rolled pasta and hand cut cheeses and meats. And of course every night we had Ice cream, made with marsacapone, ricotta and all kinds of rich cheeses. Sooo delicious!

Of course what is visiting Italy without seeing the Duomo Di cathedral in Milano. Amazing architecture and massiveness had us in complete awe of the building. Right next to it was the Galleria Vittro with high end shops and artictual beauty all inside.

I think what intrigued us the most was the culture. Everyone was so friendly and eager to help. You could tell family was everything. In most restraunts it was ran by aunt, uncle, mom and pops and the children where there supporting the dream right along side them. Everyone took extra time on how they looked. The men mainly wore suits and everyone even in street clothes didn't look tacky. Clean shoes, fixed hair and designer bags everywhere. But as much as we were intrigued by the Italian fashion they were obssesd with the American culture. The majority of the music we heard was all American artists and if we mention we were from the USA they would almost gush over how incredible it was.

My favorite part was seeing the canals. I've always been intrigued by the beauty of the water in Italy. If we would have had more time I would have loved to go see the lake there in Milan but I won't complain with what I was able to do in the short time given.

My husbands favorite place was the Castello Sforzesco and Arco De Pace. Both beautifully built and maintained history pieces that have stood the the test of time. We walked so much that both of our feets were blistered and swollen. But seeing all these incredible sights made every bit of it worth it!

There are so many pictures and things I could go on and on about but over all it was an experience I absolutely will never forget. I'm feeling very humbled and blessed to been able to experience it and look forward to seeing it all over again one of these days with my girls. If you believe it you can achieve it! Hope that I can inspire you to chase your dreams because it'll take you places you'd never go otherwise! Have a blessed week!

-Hope Morgan

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Last week on the blog..........

The Tears of a Milestone

Hi guys! It's been a crazy week. I feel like this last month of summer has been nothing but running and more running. My husband tells me over and over how I need to find a better way to manage my time or start saying "NO." It's defiantly one of my weaknesses, I think I'm a super woman and can complete all the tasks asked of me and still be a mom, wife, house keeper, business owner, worshiper leader, youth leader, etc. you get the point. It's impossible. In the meantime I slack in the areas that I need to focus on the most. I found myself so busy this summer that I hardly enjoyed outdoor play dates with my kids and walks around the block or riding my bike across town. Now time is almost run out for those fun adventures, because school is back in to session.

Not only is school back in session but now I have a new kindergartener walking the hallways of the school. How crazy time flies! My oldest just turned five a couple weeks ago and my heart begin to flood with emotions as I put together her birthday party. I remember her first smile, her first steps, her first milestones that I will forever cherish in my mind. I remember the little quirky things that made her special and I still love her silly way of expressing herself. It was in those milestones I felt complete. I felt like I knew why I was placed on earth. Milestones are those special markers in life that you can never forget, that you can never replace, that you can never go back to except in memory. As I watched my little 5 year old daughter wake up on her birthday, I wept as I remembered all of her first years. She's growing up so fast. Her independence is probably the hardest part to take in. She likes to pick out her outfit. She wants her hair a certain way. She wants to do everything on her own and it's hard for me to step back and watch her grow. Don't get me wrong I love every aspect of her growing, it's just hard for me to not hold her hand and do everything for her still.

Now that she's five of course the next step is the big school. She's an official kindergartener. I wept when she went into preschool but that was only a couple hours and only a couple days during the week. Nothing could compare to the emotional rollercoaster that taking a kindergartener to school brought. As I took her up to orientation, the day before school to meet her teacher, she held my hand so tightly and begin to fidget with my hair. I looked down at her, her eyes where filled with fear, anticipation and excitement all in one. It's hard to put on a brave face when inside I'm feeling the exact same emotions. Have I done enough to help her get through the day on her own? Does she know how much she's loved and missed when she's gone? How is she gonna respond in certain situations? Will she get enough attention from her teacher to fulfill her needs? The list goes on and on. I squeezed her hand to pass on some reassurance that I was here for her. She looked up at me and said, "Momma, I'm so brave huh?" My heart melted. Yes she was brave, she was beautiful and everything a mother could ask for in a child. As she walked around her classroom with her dad hand in hand she begin to point out different areas of interest in the classroom. She ran over to me and eagerly whisked me away to go meet her teacher. She was in her comfort zone from there. She proudly signed her name and told the teacher everything about her. I looked on with such pride, another milestone marked off in my memory.

The next day was the first day of kindergarten. She woke up so excited about her first day to be with her teacher. My heart was so heavy, I did not want to show her any signs of tears but they was there. We got her dressed and made up a chalkboard sign about her. We are only a few houses away from the school so she informed me she wanted to ride her bike to school. As I loaded up her backpack on her shoulders, she hopped on her bike and began to ride toward the school. As I walked behind her all I could do was hold back the tears. She is getting so big and so very fast. As we got closer to the gates of the school she seen all the kids and she froze and looked back at me and wanted to hold my hand as she rode her bike the rest the way in. She is super shy so lots of people freak her out easily and my heart started to worry she would back out. As she parked her bike the bell rang for the kids to line up. Kids every where started running to their teachers and I held her hand as we walked to her classroom line up. She was squeezing it so tightly. All the kids where lined up and she would not let go of my hand so I walked with her in. She walked into the hallway and up to her classroom and as soon as she got in the room she quietly put her backpack up and went and sat down. No tears, no resistance. Although a relief I couldn't pry myself away just yet. I stared at her as she begin to play with her activity on the table. Now for the hardest part, the walk home.

As I walked home, her empty bike by my side, I let the tears flow. I couldn't believe I just left my baby with strangers and in a completely different environment that I had no control of what she was learning or receiving. I had to let go and that was overwhelming for me. That whole day my mind was a wreck, did she eat enough, did she get a drink, was she scared etc. I watched time slowly click by for once. Finally when time came to pick her up I was over the moon! The look of excitement as she pointed me out in the crowd made my heart swell! She made it and I made it too! Together we got through this milestone and together we will get through more! Hand in hand.

-Hope Morgan

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Last week on the blog.............

Hi guys! This is Leah! I recently visited Disneyland and Hope Morgan thought it would be cool to share how my trip went and what I would do better next time with kids and what I recommend! I've been to Disneyland multiple times, but this was my first time with my kids and if I could live there I would! We had so much fun as a family it was definitely hard to come back to reality after it's all done, it is seriously the best place ever.

So we stayed at the Sheraton Resort Hotel which is literally a half a mile from the park so we were able to walk to the park everyday. We got a rental car, which we didn't even use for the first 4 days we were there. Well, we did use it from LAX to the hotel, which we could of just used UBER, but with kids I rather have my own vehicle. The hotel had a shuttle that would

bring you straight to the entrance of Disneyland. This was really convenient especially after a long day at the park when we didn't feel like walking back to the hotel! Our hotel was awesome and felt very “vacationeeee”.

We bought a Disney package which included the 3 Day Park Hopper pass which worked for both Disneyland and California Adventure Park. We spent two full days at Disney and one day at CAP. Disneyland is made up of sections. There is Main Street, FrontierLand Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, New Orleans Square, Mickey's Toon Town, and Adventureland. Main Street is where all your shops and little cafés will be as well as Sleeping Beauty's castle and it's also how you get to the entrances of the other “Lands”.

Each of these “lands” are amazing in itself, you either have futuristic which is featured in Tomorrowland or way back in time with Indiana Jones in Frontierland and CritterLand. You have Fantasyland which is all your princesses and classic Disney characters. It's such a great place to be and I don't want to bore you guys with every little detail of every little thing possible but what I want to recommend is the world famous food 😩and what could make it easier for you if you have children.

I would definitely recommend the Fast Pass which is free of charge for the bigger rides which they only offer for the big rides because the wait times are up to 90 minutes to 2 hour waits. What the fast pass does is, it gives you a time when to come back to ride and you get on before everybody else that is currently standing in the regular line. You can download the Disney Max Pass app and you can get your fast pass for the ride that you want right there on the app so that way you don't have to walk across the park to get a ticket. It will tell you the time when you arrive back at the ride. The other cool thing is the baby care center! This is a cute little place to get the kiddos out of the sun and what not. They have a nursing station, changing station and a feeding area. Husbands are welcome too. We spent at least three times a day going there😂. Oh, and they have Starbucks, but it's not called Starbucks you gotta be smart cause when your desperate and having SB withdrawals you will find it! 😂

Everyday they have parades that feature different Disney characters. We went to the night one every time just because it's all lit up! This is featured right on Mainstreet. And then right after the night parade the fireworks go off and they are AMAZING. After we would leave the park we would go to Downtown Disney which has more of your nicer restaurants, shops and cafés. Downtown Disney also has the World of Disney store which has everything you can imagine for adults to kids!

I'm not going to dwell too much on California Adventure Park but it is another amazing place! I think it's great for older people like adults because they have more of the bigger rides and they've got more of your Marvel characters like Spiderman, Captain America, and Guardian of the Galaxies. Then what's cool too is they have the Land of Cars which looks exactly like the story. And they have Elsa and Anna from Frozen (which is every little girls dream)!

So back to Disneyland. Time to talk about food! The food you GOT TO TRY. I enjoyed every minute of eating because I've been KETO for 8 months so I took a break and enjoyed myself! You got to try the Pineapple Dole whip Soft-Serve from the Tiki Juice Bar in Adventureland. It's so refreshing especially when it's super hot outside and it's a Disney classic. Then you got to try the Monte Cristo Sandwich from Café Orleans in New Orleans Square it has ham, turkey and Swiss cheese and it's lightly battered and fried. You’ll never regret it. It also comes with a berry purée and it's lightly dusted with powdered sugar. It is seriously the perfect sandwich! Third, you HAVE TO get the Mickey-Shaped Beignets from Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square. It comes with a Vanilla Bean Cream that is to die for! They also have the original beignets from Cafe Du Monde in Downtown Disney. ( I ate those too) 😪. And lastly (is lastly a word?), please make sure you eat the corn dog! It's so flipping good. I mean the breading is out of this world. You can find them at the Little Red Wagon on Mainstreet.

Sooooo I could go on and on and on and on and onnnnn about this place. Maybe I should just be a travel advisor for Disney? 🤷🏽‍♀️ Anyways, I'm sure a lot of you have been there so I hope I didn't bore you, and if you haven't went before I highly recommend at least planning and saving and taking your kiddos at least once! We have decided we are going once a year just because it is such a great family oriented place for everybody to have fun! It will

be worth it. PROMISE.

Till next time guys!

Leah L. Hernandez

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Last time on the blog....

The Back Door Blessing

We think of Blessings as “gifts”. They are wrapped pretty and we desire them. We even want to share them, and display them. They bring happiness, so we want to celebrate receiving them, and invite others to rejoice with us. They are delivered right to our front door, with a pleasant knock or ringing of the bell. They make us feel special, privileged, even royal,on occasion. Many times, these gifts are seasonal. As pleasant & exciting as they may be, they are not always life impacting. The euphoria they create can be addicting, and we want more. We ask for more……. The better job, an increase in finances, changes in our current situation, better health, repaired relationships, Spiritual growth. These are all great gifts & prayer request. But not all Blessings come through the front door.

That “gift” that comes through the Back Door……..It isn’t very pretty. After all, it comes through the door we use to remove trash, or let the dog out, for “his business”. The door, for all practical purposes is for everyday Ho Hum life. We don’t necessarily want to put those things on display for everyone to see. But the Blessing that enters through the Back Door will usually last a life time. It may be delivered with pain. It will be uncomfortable. It can bring condemnation & self doubt. It may cause us to question God, His motives, His love, and His Plan. It may bring hardship, and we refuse, to even consider or acknowledge that it may be a Blessing in disguise. After all, it’s coming through the door where we leave our muddy shoes. What clean or good thing comes through The Back Door!

And we know that allthingswork together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called, according to his purpose.

It will be the loss of a job, an unexpected debt, a loss of a relationship or loved one, an illness that we struggle to recover. It dismantles us from the very core of our being. It blinds our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our ability to feel beyond the pain and hardship. It comes at the worst time. We aren’t prepared. Then we beat ourselves up, as if we could have prevented it. We cry until we have no more tears. We feel lost, alone, and helpless. It is a necessary part of our Growth in God. It brings about a change in us. It causes us to rely on Him. It forces us to look within ourselves, identify not so pretty attributes, or mistakes we’ve made. We can go no further, until we forgive ourselves and declare to do better. It is one thing to forgive others, but to forgive ones self, is monumental. It requires our acknowledgement of our weaknesses, our short comings, our defects, yet God still loves us.

We are still the child of a King. A child that has Hope in His mercy and everyday is a new day. Hope to go on, regardless of the wind and rain pounding down on us. Regardless of the darkness that surrounds us. It is during this that we receive the greatest Gift. It is a gift of TRUST. A belief, that no matter, how it turns out. God is in control. His plan is greater than anything we could dream. The loss of that job may have been to rescue us from bad situation in the future, or it could be to move us in a direction for something much better. That illness could bring a discovery of an undetected condition, that left alone could be life threatening, or maybe God just needed you to slow down.The loss of a loved one, via death, breakup or relocation, causes us to grieve and that always changes us internally. An unexpected debt can place us in a position to see God truly be our Provider. A Back Door Blessing is a gift that is gift wrapped with tribulation. It is life changing, it is permanent. It is a reference for future trials. It is indeed a part of the journey.

1stPeter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

1st Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.

-- Elizabeth Kubler Ross

"Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if i didn't have it in the beginning."

Mahatma Gandhi

"We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers - but never blame yourself. It's never your fault. But it's always your fault, because if you wanted to change you're the one who has got to change."

Katherine Hepburn

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.

-- Judy Garland

-The Backdoor Blessings-

Written By: Alyssa Davis

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Last week on the blog...........

Majestic Beauty

Happy Thursday, everyone! Last weekend was little bit cool compared to other weekends in July. So, I got a chance to wear this beautiful dress. Although I couldn’t enjoy lovely weather because I’ve been super busy in my work but wearing this dress actually made my day. Today I’m continuing with new brand spotlight and sharing a new name if you haven’t heard that before, I am talking about Rose Maire Fashion!

I have become a fan of this brand after wearing this Majestic Beauty. Well, to be honest! whenever I try a new brand, I feel super excited and nervous at the same time. Excited, because I am going to try something new and nervous because I don’t know the quality of brand. I am very happy that this dress met my all expectations. They are creating clothing that is the right fit, color and style for your body types. So, I think they are doing brilliant job. Whenever you will see their clothing you will realize that you have invested in quality piece.

The dress I am wearing today is called Majestic Beauty. I chose blush pink color but its available in green color as well. I usually prefer dark colors but this time I tried little bit different and I am happy I made this selection. This gorgeous outfit is made with a lace boddace and chiffon skirt which makes the perfect dress for any occasion! I was feeling super comfortable and playing with the dress flare all the time as I love the designs of edges. Accessories are completely up to you, you can go heels of sandals matching with your maxi dress.

So, I would definitely recommend you to visit their website and checkout awesome collection. I hope this post is helpful for you, please share your thoughts in the comments below. Please like our Facebook page for more style rides, till then stay stylish.

Thanks for stopping by!

http://thestyleride.com/

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Last Wednesday on the blog....

Hi lovelies! I've been pondering so many different things these past few weeks as this summer rapidly comes to an end. It's hard to believe we are almost into fall and how quickly the weather here in Wyoming is cooling down. All the planning of outdoor BBQ parties and events have slowly dwendled down to only a couple weeks of opportunity to make it happen. CRAZY! This thing we call life is so fast. Just a few weeks back, my husband and I had the privilege to take our youth group to a huge conference in Tulsa. The planning for this event took soooooo much preparation and money and time and well to be honest I was completely exhausted by the time it actually came time to go. I wasn't sure if I even wanted to do it because I was afraid it wouldn't be what I imagined it would be. Boy was I wrong! The excitement and vibes from the young people we were taking completely turned everything around for me!

I love the energy that comes with being a youth leader. It's hard work, lots of tears and money that gets put into every bit of it but it's ever so worth it when you see them smile and in this case be able to be around so many other young people of like faith. In the generation we live in, it's a lot of peer pressure to do the wrong thing. Our youth faces some tough battles like staying pure till marriage, saying no to drugs and the list goes on and on. Sure every generation has faced these same peer pressures but I feel it's a little more intense because us as the milinial generation, feels the need to test every boundary and express who we are as individuals. No rules, no regrets! YOLO! You know what I mean. I feel so humbled and honored to be chosen as an example to help be a guidance in these young people's life as they try to hold the blood stain banner of Christianity high in there non Christian based environment.

With that being said, my husband and I where able to take our youth group to a conference in Oklahoma with over 7,000 Apostolic and Pentecostal based young people and families! Incredible experience to be apart of. It's that boost of confidence and reassurance that they can do it because they are not alone! The power of God was so strong and sweet in every aspect of the conference and my heart was overwhelmed as I watched our young people weep, dance and lift up their hands as God filled there lives with a fresh fire.

More then just commitments to God being made, these are milestones they will never be able to forget. I remember being in these same conferences with God moving like he did for these young people, that I still go back to as an adult. Those landmarks in my life are what kept me and are still keeping me to this day. One of our young men was able to be apart of the worship choir and he got to experience a whole different level of Gods presence then we did. He was able to watch all of us worshiping and praising the one true living God as he led us in song and dance.

It was a powerful experience to say the least! And of course there was the opportunity to meet thousands of youth from every where around the world! They had so many moments to be able to break out of their shell and meet some new friends. Coming from a small western city sometimes our fellowship of like faith is not huge options so these kind of opportunities are so pivotal for our group!

Night after night of entertainment till the wee hours of the morning was seriously some of the best and most bonding times for us with our group. Tears of laughter and hilarious stories and memories will be with us for the rest of our lives from this short little trip! We are blessed with a great group of youth that are endeavoring to do right and to be a light to their peers.

I'm so thankful I get to experience all this with the one I went to all these conferences with when I was single. My husband amazes me a little more every day in the way he leads our family spiritually. He is so genuine with our young people and I've watched him weep and pour his heart and time out to help them grow into successful and godly adults. His love for them will never be able to be repaid nor will anyone ever know all the time and things he does for them. My heart was overwhelmed and filled with gratitude as we left this conference. I'm blessed beyond measure and I'm so grateful for Gods love and kindness in my life!

-Hope Morgan

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Hey ladies it's a new Wednesday and that means a new blog yay!! I'm excited to share a little photo shoot behind the scenes I did a few weeks back! What's even better is it was with my iPhone 7 plus 😱. I'm absolutely loving the portrait setting on the camera! With the right lighting, seriously you can take some awesome pictures!

So first off I had to convince my crew to go with me to the park. Not much persuading the little ones but daddy was a little different! Lol thankfully he wanted to play with his new toy me and the girls had gotten him as a gift for Father's Day, a drone!

Although it was a nice distraction for my older ones it also was a down fall as my baby girl, who was the subject of the pictures, kept following the flight instead of looking at the camera! Lol oh well I still think I got some good shots out of it and I loved the family time the most!

Seriously guys a mirror goes miles for props!! It just made everything come together! I love the reflection it gives and how it makes the other props stand out! Here's a list of the props I used for her pictures:

Picture Frame

Mirror

Wooden Crate

Blanket

Tutu

Flower headband

Letter or Number

She was cracking me up because she definitely wasn't a fan of the photo frame! To know her personality, you can tell she was hollaring quite loudly what she was feeling. Of course her attention span is short like any one year old being made to sit in one spot but her favorite thing to do is sit on stuff. So my next pose I pulled out the crate to have her feel all big and proud! Lol it worked!

Her little belly roles got me all heart eyed! My little helper held the picture frame up for a few pictures so I was able to get a few shots with a different perspective! It was such a perfect day for the shoot, overcast and the lighting was right behind her! The colors where so vibrant and honestly I didn't have to put filters on much of them. I can't believe all these were with my phone!

Lastly, for a mirror reflection of her face, I threw a little leaf on the mirror and of course she grabbed for it! I love this shot and I did do special edits on it once I printed it off for my home. So next time you are needing those special photos of your kiddos and you don't have hundreds of dollars to fork out, see if your phone has a portrait setting or borrow a friends to take a few photos! I promise you'll be surprised at the results and you'll get so many compliments and questions on where you got them done! Most of all enjoy the precious memories with your children because time flys too fast! Have a blessed weekend! Until next time!

-Hope Morgan

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Hey ladies! How many other fellow DIY'ers out there?! I'm a Pinterest fanatic! I'm always on it for recipes, excercises, home decor, clothing inspo, parties, etc. you name it and I'm always pinning something from this or that. Which is why I found myself going through pin after pin as I prepared for my baby girls first bday. We always throw a lavish birthday for those big milestone birthday and being ONE is the best way to kick it off. I was stuck between doing the pink and gold theme and the shabby chick tribal look. For her personality, she is such a sweet happy baby that I decided to go with the Tribal look. Luckily it's super popular so finding decor was relatively easy!

Of course my DIY kicked in and I called on my dad to help build me a Tipee outline. I then just took scrap material I had to lay over it and found my wedding bouquet to add to the top. Everyone knows pallets are super easy to find so I found a few boards and bought some string and clothes pins to hang all of her first pictures. It turned out super cute!

My cute little helpers helped me dip and cover all the white feathers in gold paint and gold confetti dust. I found the ideal on Pinterest and it was super easy and very cute project for me and my little ones to do!

I went to the dollar store and found a bunch of cheap little pink flowers and had my dad help me cut up some large wood planks. (He's the best dad seriously) My little brother is an avid hunter so I used some of his antlers to add a little extra depth to the center piece and added those white feathers in the mix. All the table clothes and napkins I got from the dollar store and hobby lobby.

For her cake, I went with a rustic naked cake. My aunt is an excellent baker and she made a delicious strawberry cake. Placing it on glass and adding the pictures in the background just made this cake picturess! I LOVED the way it looked. Hobby lobby had the cake topper and the flowers were left overs from other parties! Although I probably keep to much, I tell myself this is why you keep all your decoration you never know when you'll use it again! 😂😂

Of course I had to sew all my girls matching dresses to match the theme and so I stayed up all evening making them cute little ruffled dresses. My girls think it's the best thing when I make them outfits! My oldest is getting to where she tells me how she wants her stuff made 😂 I think I might have a little designer on my hands.

To top of My baby girls birthday look I found an adorable little tiara clip at hobby lobby and just clipped it to one of her head band straps. It made our princess look so special on her big day!

I absolutely love doing stuff by hand because for one it makes it personal and for two it lets whoever you are doing it for know that you care. I may not be the richest mother out there but I don't want my kids to ever be so caught up in fancy gizmos and gadgets that they don't see the beauty in taking time to use the resources around us to create fun and unique ideas. I was able to use this as a family bonding time as we prepared to celebrate one of the greatest miracles of our time. The birth of a child. I'm so grateful for every opportunity with my children!

-Hope Morgan

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Hi guys! I hope all y'alls summer is just going fantastic! I know mine is. I was pregnant and miserable last summer, so this summer I'm chasing two lil boys around but that's better than “wobbling” 😂. Anyways I thought I would share with you one of my favorite summer dishes that I like to make! I go through spurts where I love to cook for like 3 months straight and then I hate it for 3 months!

One of my favorite dishes I want to share with you guys is just some good old fashion pull pork! There is a million ways to cook it, but I recently just mastered the way I like it not to long ago! Pull pork is a great dish to have for leftovers and of course if your having some people over, you can't go wrong.

So first off lets start with the type of pork I use. I use the pork shoulder with the bone in (the bone adds more flavor) or a Boston Butt. You can use 4-7lbs. Some supplies that you will need will be something LARGE to brine the pork in, and a deep roasting pan. I always buy the aluminum ones from the grocery store because it's lets dishes for me to worry about.

Next you'll want to make a dry rub. I always go by taste and not really measurements but for the sake of this recipe, I did accurate measurements on a 7lb roast and it came out fabulous.

Dry Rub:

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cayenne powder

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp ground pepper

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 brown sugar

Mix all these spices together really well and set aside while you brine your pork. The most important thing my dad taught me and that I'm learning when it comes to cooking meat is the BRINE. It makes your meat sooooo tender. It's a MUST.

Brine Solution

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 qts cold water

2 tbsp of dry rub

2 bay leaves (optional)

Pour the cold water in a 2 gallon ziploc bag or a container that will allow you to have the whole pork covered in liquid. Pour the salt in first and mix it till it dissolves then add the rest of the brine solution. You'll then add the pork to the brine and let it sit for over 24 hours. 36 hours is the best taste and 48 hours is the greatest taste. Once the pork is done brining (I'm not sure if that's a word or not?) 😂 pat it down dry and pack your dry rub all over the roast. Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F. Let it cook for at least 12 hours. You don't want take it out of the oven until the temperature reaches 200 degrees. Yes, I know pork is considered done at 170 degrees but we want this baby falling apart!

Well that is all folks! You should try it sometime! It's so yummy!

Till next time!

Leah L. Hernandez

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Leah L. Hernandez

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Hello peeps! Leah once again! And I was asked to tell you guys a little bit about my style or my take on fashion. I mean, I could so totally write a Bible about this! Anybody that knows me knows I LOVE LOVE LOVE clothes and shoes. I enjoy putting outfits together, piecing stuff together and experimenting with different trends. Seriously guys, if you only knew what I do daily when it comes to my clothes and my children's clothes you probably send me to the loony bin! It's definitely a hobby of mine. If I could shop for people for a living I'd do it! Through out this blog you'll see some photos of just a few of my favorite outfits in my closet for this season. Some are dressy and a couple are casual.

L

First, I want to talk about the difference between fashion and style, or at least my take on it. I believe the word fashion means going with the current trend or what's in style at that particular moment. I believe that style portrays who you are as a person. Style stems from your personality, to how you talk, how you act, and the way you dress yourself. Most people have a particular way of wearing things, for example they might be into a certain color or style of dress like a midi dress or midi skirt with shirt tucked in and a cute pair of heels. Some ladies might be into the Bohemian style, and some gals might be more casual and be into denim and gingham! I mean the list could go on and on! I love trying all different types of styles but there are some where I just can't pull it off like I would want to. Whatever your modest style is, you work it! Be yourself and always be comfortable.

After I became a mom I all of a sudden wanted to be super trendy so to speak. My whole style changed for the better. I told my husband I'm going to be a "hip" mom not a "mommy mom" 😂. And ain't nothing wrong with being a mommy mom. So anyways, I go through these stages where I wear the same look for weeks at a time. I went through a stage where all I wanted to wear was whites, creams, taupe, and pinks. Currently, I am back-and-forth between tennis shoes and camo tops for my casual look and more of the Bohemian style (long tiered skirts and fringy tops). For my church look I am into tulle skirts, ruffles, and lighter colors. My favorite colors right now are pale pink, taupe, baby blue, and RED. My go-to is always a midi skirt with a cute top or some type of chiffon maxi dress when I'm super lazy and DO NOT feel like steaming or ironing something.

Since I have two babies under the age of two going out and shopping is a chore, therefore I am an avid online shopper. I plug in my favorite stores and boutiques keep the tabs open and start matching stuff together. I don't usually shop super expensive although I do love a good pair of nice heels and my Louis Vuitton's 😂. My favorite go-to stores would be H&M, Forever 21, Zara, Express, Gap, Banana Republic, Nordstrom Rack and Nordstrom. I live on ASOS.com and SHEIN.com. I feel like the their stuff is true to size, affordable, and so super cute! I get a lot of stuff through different boutiques on Instagram such as the ivycityco, Rooleeboutique, Elizanicole_boutique, raju.offcial, linear collection, and jessakae I love me some Freepeople and always love getting stuff at Anthropologie! (I spelt all the shops exactly how they are on IG)

I hope I was able to give you ladies some good ideas (not that I'm the best dressed person or anything), but I do love clothes and I love to see what other people are wearing. I always need a good idea from somebody to change things up myself! Hoped you enjoyed this blog and I'm sure I'll be back soon! Xoxo

Leah L. Hernandez

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Daddy's Hands

As Father's Day is rapidly approaching I have been pondering the real meaning of a father's role in my life. Growing up in a house that is majority girls, I'm very grateful for the father role my dad was to me. The saying anyone could be a father but it takes someone special to be dad is so true.

My fathers hands were strong, kind, stern and guiding. As a child I remember the times my dad would teach me how to throw a football or any ball in general. Hours we would spend running around the couch or yard catching ball after ball. Even though we were girls he taught us every sport and activity. From fishing to riding go carts to shooting guns etc. he was the guiding hands that taught us how to do everyday things.

His hands were kind. In so many ways girls tend to draw close to their mother in certain areas of their life. I had the best of both worlds. There was many nights I would sit down and pour my heart and tears out over a boy. Or talk to him about all the crazy girl drama that teenagers face. He would listen and do everything he could to cheer me up. He never failed to let me know I was beautiful and he was proud of who I was.

His hands were stern. I'm thankful for the discipline and restrictions he held me accountable for. I knew he cared for me deeply because he set the boundaries. There was times I wanted to question everything because then I didn't see the danger but now that I have children I understand.

Proverbs 22:6King James Version (KJV)

6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

His hands were strength. In my eyes if I thought of it he could do it. If it broke he could fix it. And he knew just how to bring us together as a family. No matter what stage of life I'm in, I still know that if I call up my dad he will do his best to help provide. Growing up I never had to worry about coming home to an unstable home or abuse. He instilled truth, trust, love and most of all the beauty of a family. My dad is and will always be my hero. He set the bar high and I'm ever so grateful for his leadership in my life.

Now that I'm married I see the roles that daddy's hands play out in my little girls eyes. Their dad is an amazing man. Somehow he works tirelessly for our needs yet takes enough time to impact their life in such a way that they adore him and believe he hangs the sun and the moon.

Their squeals of delight when he gets off work is the sweetest and most rewarding site anyone could ask for. If you ask my oldest what daddy is to her, she will say he's my prince. Anytime he's late for dinner or can't be apart of an event my girls ask, "Where's daddy?" It's amazing at such a small age, like my 11 month old, that she is over the moon when daddy is around. I pray that the relationship my dad an I have becomes the relationship my children have with their father.

I hope everyone takes a min to thank the father figure in your life. You and I would not be where we are without their guiding hands.

Have a blessed weekend!

-Hope Morgan

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Seasons of Life

Hi guys! Leah here, and I decided that I would write a short blog about the seasons of life!

We are all in different stages of life and I believe being content in those stages of life and accepting it, would truly give you happiness and contentment.

I never really understood this subject until I got married. When your growing up I think as young adults and kids we just went to school and wanted to hang out with friends. Everything else like getting married, going to college, having babies, buying a home and etc seem sooooooo far off. Well now that I'm married I realize how everybody is in different stages of life and how fast time flies.

Some people are in the stages of dating and that's a big deal to them. So as married people we look at people dating and start reminiscing back to our dating days and think "awwww remember babe when you use to call me baby girl and we're so mushy gushy?" 😂. Then some people are planning their wedding so their whole life and families life will be consumed with wedding planning. Some couples are expecting so their whole lives are consumed with prepping for baby and adding to the family. Other couples don't have kids or their kids are grown and they travel and live the retirement life. The list could go on and on: people graduating college, starting a career, buying a home, opening a business, and so on. These are milestones and seasons of life and I believe this is what makes LIFE. Having a wedding, having a baby, starting a career these are all the milestones that happen back to back within like ten years!

What I am trying to say is after I had my second baby Zion, I literally woke up one day and said to myself "Well I've had my wedding, I've had babies, I have my home, my husband opened a business, so now what?" I kinda felt sad because I felt like all those HUGE special milestones were done, this was it. Then I talked to my husband who thinks I'm a "Debbie Downer" (lol) and he was like well now our season of life as of now is raising the boys, building our business, being laborers in the church, and making our home . And then I realized this is just the beginning of more milestones and whole new world. Now I am a grown up and now I get to take MY family on vacations. I get to decorate baby rooms and playrooms. I get to teach my boys manners and just be their mommy and see the world through their eyes. Seasons are constantly changing and there is ups and downs in every season. And who says I'm not going to have another baby? 😉 There is so much to look forward to. I think that's what makes life beautiful. Everybody is so different and going through different stages of life and looking from the outside in I love seeing the one couple having their first baby or a young couple looking forward to their wedding. It makes me so excited for them because I know what they have to look forward too!

Accepting your season of life and realizing life is so good and live like there's no tomorrow I believe will get you far in life. I am loving this thing called life and I believe as Christians we are truly blessed. Loving God, being faithful, being obedient, and loving people will you a long way in life (at least in mine). Enjoy your season and live in that moment because life goes by so fast. Especially after you have kids, the days fly! Cherish each and EVERY MOMENT! And take lots of pictures 😌. Till next time guys!

Leah L. Hernandez

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Leah L. Hernandez

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-Family Time-

Is it just me or does it feel like spending time with family is fewer and farther between?? I'm a stay at home mom but if I'm not running around chasing kids I'm preparing orders, going to church activities, doing house hold duties, running errands, etc. How many moms can agree with me before we know it the day has ended and we climb exhaustedly into our bed just to be waken within a few hours to help our little one with a drink or comfort their fears. I'm so busy that I sometimes forget to stop and take in what I'm doing.

I paused the other day as I sat down to close out my evening. My girls are growing so fast and what will they remember about mommy. That she was too busy with life that she didn't notice them? That she was busy filling work demands or charity events but never took time to fulfill their simple desires?

This tugged at my heart. Even though I'm at home with them all day how much of the day is truly devoted to them aside from their necessary needs. Sometimes just asking them about their imaginary animals or fairytale dramas that play in their heads, make their day a hundred times more special.

I couldn't imagine my life without family. I was busy caught up in processing orders for the busy Mother's Day weekend when my mom called and asked me to come out to the lake. To be honest my first reaction was frustration because I knew I really couldn't leave town. I instantly begin to rattle off a list of excuses on why I wouldn't be able to go out to the lake and camp with my mom.

I could hear the defeat in her voice as she said she understood. She then asked if she could take my girls out to the camp site so they could at least enjoy this beautiful weather. Instantly guilt flooded me. How dare me put everything before my family?! I knew I had already agreed to obligations so I promised her as soon as I finished my tasks I'd run out there.

I hear of so many stories where the kids never took time for their parents and always put it off till tomorrow and tragically they loose their loved one before they got the chance to spend time with them. I couldn't imagine my life without my mother. Growing up she was my hero, my strong arm and guidance that I really depended on. She made me a better person because she selfishly gave of herself all the time.

I remember memories of us making home made playdo and spending hours playing outside with a frisbee or softball. We were her priority and we knew it. She would give hundreds and thousands of dollars on special trips to Florida, Disney Land, Worlds of Fun, etc just to see us kids be happy. You can say I have a world class mom.

Aside from all the expensive stuff she would take us out to the park, camp sites, or even set up a tent in the backyard to help us pretend we where somewhere else. So many late nights playing card games, eating popcorn and talking about all of our little dramas. To say the least I knew in her life family was first. And if there was anything I could want for my kids it would be that same kind of love and attention she gave to me.

By me setting aside all of my busy work to spend the day at the lake with my girls, I realized how much it meant to them. I can never get back the moments that we made playing in the sand, riding bike trails, eating by the water, swinging on the wood and just sitting down to enjoy the day.

I'm blessed with the opportunity to enjoy not only the beautiful country around me but these gorgeous healthy little girls. Being a mom has been one of the most fulfilling and yet humbling jobs I've ever done. I don't ever want to take for granite the privilege I was given to be their mom. And I don't want to neglect the duty I was given by being caught up in this crazy whirlwind called life.

I'm a blessed mother and daughter to be able to not only experience the love of a healthy family unit, but also give that opportunity to my girls. My prayer is that I continually grow in wisdom as I raise my girls and that I give them the same love and attention my mother showed me. On this Mother's Day weekend, I pray you take a minute to thank the mother figure in your life. We wouldn't be in this world if it wasn't for a mother.

-Hope Morgan

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🇲🇽Cinco De Mayo🇲🇽

I can't believe it's MAY!!! I'm feeling the spirit of this international holiday and thought I'd share one of my most requested dishes that I make! You probably already guessed it, yes it's a Mexican Dish!

My husband is Spanish so it was imperative that I learned how to make a delicious green chili. Of course who better to learn from then his grandmother. So here's our family green chili recipe that is sure to win over your guest's taste buds! 😋

My mouth is already watering! So although it's pretty much up to you on how you prefer seasoning here's the esential ingredients:

Vegetable Oil (or any preferred oil)

Boneless pork loin chops

Flour

Chicken bouillon

Garlic cloves

Garlic powder

Pepper

Chili peppers

1 can of Rotel

Water

So we will start with a pretty good size pot or steer. Place about 1/4 cup of oil and begin heating it to a frying tempature.

Crush about 3-5 cloves of garlic into the oil and get it roasted

Add the chopped porkloin chops into the oil and season with pepper. Get those pieces nice and crispy. Here's how I like my porkloins chops to be diced. About 1/2"X1/2"

Once they are crisp I keep them in the pan but try to push them to one side and use the extra oil as a base for thickening. Add about 2-3 tbsp of flour and mix it in with the oil till you get a nice paste. Add in the can of rotel and 1/2lb of green chilis. I would taste it and make sure the heat is where you want it before adding more. Here's the green chilis I like to use when I don't have fresh ones. They are in the frozen isle of most grocery stores.

After you got a thick mix of all the ingredients add about 3 cups of water to make a soup. You can add more or less depending on the consistency you prefer. After everything is mixed in with the water add in your chicken bullion. Here's where your inner chef has to kick in because there's no exact measurements on how much to put in, I usually put in around an 1/8 cup of chicken bullion and 3tbsp of garlic powder. Again tasting it is key to perfecting the right amount.

After you let it simmer its ready all by itself or you can take it one step further and make an easy homemade chicken chimichanga.

Get you a pack of chicken Breast and boil them till they are cooked thoroughly through.

Then shred the chicken and add taco seasoning. You can do premixed or you can mix a blend of spices for a homemade taco seasoning.

I usually use this recipe:

1Tbsp of garlic powder

3tsp of cumin

3tbsp of chili

2tsp of oregano

2tsp of onion powder

3tsp of salt and pepper

1tbsp of crushed red pepper

Now mix all the shredded chicken and spices together. A fresh squeeze of lime enhances the flavor but it's not necessarily needed.

Warm up some tortilla shells, put about 1/8 c of the shredded chicken on the tortilla

Add shredded cheese on top the chicken

Now roll the tortilla tightly into a burrito form

Then fry that baby in a steer with oil.

Place the fried chimichanga on a plate and smother it with the green chili you made earlier.

To finish it off I add lettuce, tomato, and cheese on top the green chili!

If your guest prefer not smothered you can put the green chili inside before you wrap it up and fry it. Either way it's delicious!

Now enjoy! It's beyond delicious and it'll make your guests crave for more!

I found myself obsessing over the term “obsess” so I looked it up to make sure that I was obsessing over the correct term. In my dictionary the term is defined as a verb meaning “to never stop thinking about something” or “to be preoccupied.” Well, this defines my mental faculties about 90 percent of the time. I can obsess about all sorts of things—the economy, the state of my hair, my to-do list, whether or not I’m getting enough vitamin B12, are my kids okay, upcoming events, my family, my friends, my shoes (not enough? Too many? The wrong ones?). 😂

I can even obsess about how much I’m obsessing. 🙄 Ruben (my husband) will often say to me (when I am rehearsing the various outcomes of a particular situation around 11 pm on any given night…aloud…to him…), “Leah, there’s nothing you can do about it right now. Just go to sleep.” Ugh, but he is SO, SO completely wrong. 😂 He does not take into account that a woman can play out various scenarios, plan out what she’s going to say if the other person says thus and that, how she’s going to look when she says it, and spool out the various consequences of actions so that she can determine which one might produce the most effective outcome. See? You can do something about it at 11 pm, never mind the fact that none of it may ever come to pass…

I often wonder will my mind just stop going one hundred miles an hour? When your a mom it never ends! I think the first step may be for me (you too, my fellow obsess-er) to call out “obsessing” for what it truly is: worry. Maybe it’s like the “Rain Man” version of worry, where you repeat the same things over and over hoping that it will somehow soothe or change the actual problem. I am a WORRIER. I just want everybody that's involved in my life to be okay, healthy, and happy. I mean I could be half dead but I don't want anybody else to half dead. I need all my loved ones okay. 😂 Even when I get sick I think I have cancer of the stomach or of the baby throws up he's dying. I am super dramatic about everything. 🙄

But through it all after 2 babies and a husband that has the greatest faith I've ever seen anybody have, my worrying has actually subsided....a little. He's a great support system and tells me to pray and get over it and let's me know all is right with the world! 🤗

Paul’s words to us from Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) tell us, “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

I’m praying (not obsessing) that we might all obsess less. 🙌🏽

Leah L. Hernandez

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Looking into the mirror what do you see? Imperfections? Fat rolls? Wrinkles? ....Seems like the majority of us women are extremely hard on ourself as we look at our reflection. Learning to accept every scar, wrinkle, curves and imperfections is an everyday struggle for me. I'm learning to love every change that my body has gone through since the birth of my 3 beautiful babies but it's not an easy battle for me. Since I was a teenager I've struggled with self confidence in my body. Ive always found something wrong with one part or another of myself. I wanted to tell one of my deepest secrets to help strengthen someone going through the same struggle. There is a solution for all of us!

As a preteen I was definitely more on the chubbier side of things. I ate all of my fries plus everyone's around me! Haha I had no issues putting down food. I was definitely on the road to an unhealthy eating lifestyle. I can distinctly remember the day that I decided to change everything. My parents celebrated the renewal of their wedding vows, and my mom wore a size 16 wedding dress. My mom made the innocent comment that if I kept on the eating track I was on I'd be wearing her wedding dress to my big day. There's beauty in curves but in my preteen mind set I wanted to be the thin models that plastered the magazines. I stopped eating as much almost instantly.

As I approached my teenage years, my dad had a heart scare and begin to change his lifestyle to a more healthy one. We begin to ride bikes as a family and he cut out sugars from his diet. No carbs except whole wheat and lots of fresh vegetables. I begin to take an interest in cooking and begin to make the family meals at night. So as puberty begin to hit I had lost quite a bit of weight just in changing to healthier choices in both my food and excercising. I begin to start to notice how behind I looked physically compared to my friends. As a 14 year old girl, when people think your 12 it can be very insulting. All the girls around me where developing curves and looking more womanly and here I was flat as a pancake. I begged mom to let me buy push up undergarments to inhance my appearance and help me find ways to develop my assets. I begin to take my self image to a dangerous level.

As I crossed into high school I felt like I was the ugly duckling. My acne was horrific and on top of it all I was a late bloomer in getting braces. While all the girls where flashing beautiful smiles and what seem to me as perfect bodies I felt like I was a pimple covered, flat chested, blubbery acward girl. I would look in the mirror and cry. At 5' I only weighed 90lbs but I felt huge and ugly. I lost all self confidence especially since I felt I didn't attract any guys attention. I begin to reduce my calorie intake to 300 calories a day. I was very strict with myself. To me consistency was the best results.

Now at 16 I reached my adult height of 5'2" and I weighed 105lbs and I was discustested with myself for being over 100lbs. I begin to eat close to nothing and excercise vigorously everyday. I seen my ribs in the mirror but to me I was still fat and unattractive. I would claim spiritual fasting days and go without eating just to see the scale drop a few pounds. It only got worse when I would become so hungry that I would benge and eat ridiculous amounts of food.....and then purge and throw it all up. I hid it from everyone. People would tell my mom I was looking to skinny but she never knew how much I needed help. I would do all the cooking for the family so it appeared I was always around food, but secretly after every meal I would sneak to the bathroom and throw it all up. I would hate myself for doing it but hate the way my body looked. I wanted to have the goods of both worlds. I wanted to eat but be the skinny girl that I invisioned myself to be.

It wasn't till I started talking to my boyfriend, Timothy, at the age of 18 that I came clean of my habit. I cried to him in fear and he had to help me figure out what was the underlining issue. Self image. Such a powerful weapon that can be used to conquer many obstacles but unfortunately the down fall for many. I hated myself for what I looked like, but slowly he helped me see the beauty inside of me first, and the outward beauty. Everyday he told me how much he loved me for me and how beautiful I was. I didn't have to be the model then of other girls, he thought I was perfect the shape I was. The imperfections of my body became things he praised and loves about me. Timothy helped me to see that going down the path I was on was not only extremely dangerous but not Christian like either. Our bodies are the temple of the living God and for me to harm it so selfishly was very much a sin. That was the biggest eye opener for me.

Now skipping over the 8 years of being with Timothy, I can't say I haven't had relapses and those same feelings of disgust looking in the mirror. But I realized that I've made three beautiful girls that I now have to teach self respect. If they see a mother who's always hating her body then they will fight the same battle of low self esteem and self confidence. No matter what shape or size you are it's important to understand that the true beauty of us women is inside. It don't matter if your a 5X or a size 2 if you have a contagiously sweet spirit, your inwardness will reflect beauty in your outward appearance. The way you treat the people around you reflects your true beauty. Acceptance and loving yourself is important. If you feel better getting on a treadmill do it! But don't let comparing yourself to something or someone else break you. The prettiest curve on a woman's body is her smile!

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Last week on the blog...................

Another weekend before us already! How many times have you ever wished that time would slow just so you can catch your breath before another week comes along! For a while I've been thinking about the women impowerment movement that's been occurring recently in our nation. Making women equal, making women feel appreciated, making women have rights and privileges over there own body's. Such a powerful messages but is there more to that message that we are missing?

So a big topic for the women's right movement is the right to choose prolife or pro abortion. As a mother I could never image hurting the heartbeat that was created in my womb. I'm not here to judge any circumstance or decision that others have made, but in my mind the beauty of women hood is that we are the only way nationalities are formed. We are what makes up the business men and women, the doctors the lawyers, etc. We have the most powerful job as women when we give birth to our babies. We are creating an individual that will impact society's future!

I think sometimes the movement of being equal to men takes away the beauty of how different we as women are. No man has ever been able to experience the life of a human living inside them. I don't know about you but the day I became a mother I felt complete. I knew what my calling in life was to be all along. My children make me feel like I'm the most beautiful, the smartest, the funniest woman in the world.

The scriptures often talk about a virtuous women. Here's a little lengthy read for you but I couldn't find just one part because all of it should be impowering to us as women.

Proverbs 31:10-31King James Version (KJV)

10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

To conclude I'm not saying you have to be the perfect stay at home wife that sews, cleans, cooks, etc. I just think we should take pride that our family need us! We are the glue that keeps our families functioning! Even if you work outside the home, you are your babies heart beat! You are not any less of a person because you are a female. Any real man sees the beauty of a woman who loves her household and her family and he honors her in that position she holds. No one can replace the beauty of womanhood. We don't need to be seen as equal because as scripture says, our value is far above rubies. We are beautiful in just being what the traditional woman is supposed to do. To love, to nurture, to teach, to support and the real men in our life will honor with respect when they see us do so. Be empowered by who God intended you to be!

Have a blessed week,

Hope Morgan

Last week on the blog.....

Hi guys! Leah here, 🤗 today's subject is on the nothing other than #MOMLIFE. Mom life is the best life, but just like anything else in life it has its ups and downs and I believe it's important for all mommies to stick together, cause we are all in this together just trying to raise the best kids!

I am a stay at home mom for the moment being. I did work when I just had my one son, but now with two there is no way. I don't want to leave my lil sugar babies! Having two babies under two years old is like having twenty, no joke. With that being said I've been on both sides of the spectrum. I mainly want to focus on the stay at home moms since that's my stage of life at this moment and time.

So what I'm learning with this stay-at-home-mom-thing is that I have to be super organized and have a schedule unless everything falls apart (I'm mega OCD). I get up before the kids do even when I'm EXHAUSTED and get myself ready for the day that way I'm not interrupted. You'll be surprised how just being done up for the day will make you feel 100 times better about life (it's the small things). Both my kids are on schedules with eating, playing, activities, nap times, etc. Monday thru Friday I have stuff picked out for each day that we do or places we go. For example, Monday's is recovery day from the weekend (weekends are crazy in the Hernandez clan) so we are kinda lazy. Tuesday I go grocery shopping and get all the household cleaning done blah blah blah. I won't bore you with the rest. I guess what I'm trying to get at is prioritize, be organized and have a schedule. Oh, and take at least one day out of the week and get some "me time" like go to target or get a pedicure, it goes a long way in MOMLIFE. Make sure you go on a date with your babe too. Hubby still needs wifey in the midst of the chaos. (LOL)

In this day and age with social media motherhood is very "glamorized". People share pictures and everything looks so "perfect" and "clean" and "easy". It's not. It's just a picture. I'm sure the mess was pushed aside to make it look good 😂. There are gonna be days when your just not feeling it and beating yourself up over stuff and that's okay. I'm learning that whatever you feel, ‘it’s okay’. If you’re too tired to get dressed, it’s okay. If you don’t want to leave the house, it’s okay. If you don’t want visitors, it’s okay. If you let your baby sleep on you, it’s okay. If you pick your baby up every time it cries, it’s okay. If you need a night out with your friends, husband, etc it’s okay. If you don’t really know what you’re doing, it’s okay. It’s ALL okay.

Motherhood is knowing joy, even while experiencing the hardest trials of life. I have learned to rise to any occasion and found myself lifted to new heights while stretching myself beyond any and all limits I once put upon myself. With rarely a dull moment, I've experienced more adventure in mothering my sons that ever imaginable. Motherhood gives me an excuse to stay young forever, kicking off my shoes and letting down my hair while enjoying love beyond measure. Motherhood is: my life, my joy, my passion, my greatest achievement.

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Leah L. Hernandez

Last week on the blog....

Reality in a Cyber World

In today's world, your somebody if you have thousands of followers or hundreds of likes on your pictures....not really. Our perception of reality can sometimes be swayed when we get caught up in this cyber world we live in. In so much that seeing the pictures in someone's life causes a state of depression in our life because we think some how the few pictures of their life makes ours seem so much less attractive. In reality after the smiles in the picture there's another human who is going through life just like you.

A lot of my work is straight from social media and online sources. This means the majority of my day is spent on my phone or my computer and I can't help but feel guilty when my littles ones pull at my leg asking for my attention. As grateful as I am for this cyber world, I sometimes wonder how easy life must have been for my parents and grandparents when there was no pressure to make sure you was on top of the latest trend, or news on a feed. As each generation comes along, we are increasing technology and I'm grateful but a little sad at the same time.

Why is it that we feel like we have to have thousands of followers or hundreds watching our live videos on social media accounts? Why do we care so much about the amount of likes and comments from people we've never met or know? Is it to feel the void of our reality? If we took as much time in trying to be somebody in a virtual reality world and invested it in true friends would we be happier? Our Pastor in my church has been opening our hearts to this concept. I'd rather have 5 real friends then thousands of virtual followers.

I think to the scripture 1 Corinthians 6:12King James Version (KJV) 12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Sometimes it's best to unplug and remember what it is that's important to us in life. In REALITY I have three beautiful angels needing my attention, needing my love and guidance and my focus on them. I may not have the picture perfect world that some seem to have but my reality is beautiful to me! I don't have thousands of followers or accolades but I have my babies who give me the sweetest kisses and warmest hugs everyday. I choose to focus on the blessings in my life and I encourage you too as well! Take a minute and count your blessings and realize that your world is better then you think! You don't need someone to like your photo to be special, all you need is a heart of thankfulness to see that you have the greatest "like" of all, and that's the love of God in your life. He sees the tears and the pain of our reality yet at the same time he's with us on our mountain tops and happiest moments. He cares when no one else does and comforts us when we need it the most! In the end he's all we truly need in life. He's truly our closest friend!